Controlling system for electrical apparatus.



s. K. THO MPSON. CONTROLLING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN.26, I91].

I Patented June 22, 1915.

m m I I I I I I I test sveitziste COPY Ti n fi'ihei CE,

enement 'K'TBWWGN, or .i'nnmnrown, isnnnsnvnnm.

CGNTRQQZ LENG EiYSTEIfi FOR ELECTRICAL APPRRQKTUS.

Speeificatfonof Letters ream.

Peteneee tune 22 1915.

application filed. January 26, 1911. Serial No. 604,768.

To all w'ho'm 'itmay c'oncer'n:

ing a system of z pparatus 'a rrangd a'ccord-- PennS'VIi an-i'a, halt/e 'invente' v l t a tim t the United States, and s resident o'f'Jenkintown, Mont emery county,

movements centrolliiig f-Systeiifs "fer cation. U I y 'invnt njrelates to IIHPTOVGIFIQI113S 1H electric current lgherzihhg systems which includes prime'fnever si'ieh'as an internal conibl'isti'n "en" 'ine, a dynamo electric inatchine'ca'p'zi'ble o ns'e either its a r'ndtoron'as a generator, and a s'to'rzig'e battery, (life bl)- ject of the il-i'yen'ti on 'b'eing'to'provide whet nia'y be described is sIhi'-anteinn'tic means for controlling'the operation ofsuch a sys ten.

"I further de's'ite to {provide a system of appztrnths' slicli fzi'sfthgit ebdi e indieated, with com-suing nienns 'whih "shall include a pparatus for giving an alarm When'thestorage loe'ttee isc'lm-rg'ed in discharged to any predetermined. points, rind "which shall require merely the cles'ing of aswitc'htb cause the startingo'fth'e engine zind tihe subsequent operation of the dynain'o 'eletric machine as a generator fer the purpose of ehz'ir'ging the stor'zige'b'at'tery.

- Another object of'in'y intentin'n is to previde a' system'ef'tlie class ebeire noted with controlling eppiiratns so designed :i-nd eonnected that the mzinunl'elosnre of a s'witeh vnear to or "remote 'froih thereinaihiler of they apparatus, shall 'be nee tey*te ;caese the storage battery to b'e Charged ii'ndth'e'reafter when the hzi'r'ging" has centi'iiiied to a predetermined extent an 'iiliiiin shell be given after which the apparat s be set in operation to ut the 'generater an en? gine out of service.

These objects and ether edyiilitageelisends I s'ecilre as hereinafter set i forth, reference being had to the accemptnying drawings, in Whichz Figiire 1 is a diagrammatic 'vieiv illustrn'ting to my invention, and Fig. 2 is a side elevationto some extent diiigraiiinisitic illustrating a possible arrzingement of certain of the apparatus employed,

In Fig. 2, 1 represents a portion of an internal combustion engine designed to-drive.

n dynamo electric machine 2 for the purposeof generating current to charge a stor- Be it" known/that I, 'SA'MUEL 1Q. Thom certain 1111-,

age battery indicated at 3. in Fig. 1, and which may be cranked in starting'hy the station (if said machine 2 sis a motor under the action ofc'urrent supplied from the battery.

A pilot motor 4, in the present instance mounted one frame '5 c'zirried by the dynamo eleitric'inachine 2, is provided for the purpose'of 'tiirning a controller arm 6 and with this idea in' view it has attached to its Mime meshing with e elm t'ni e Shaft 21 Worm 7 Wheel 8 fastened to :1 shaft 9 to which tins conti'bller arm 6 is connected in any suitzihle manner. A secondshaft 10 is so mounted as to Torin a continuation of the shaft 9 'to nihieh it is 'opemtivcly coupled hy mez1-1is of a 'lllt'll 'll'ef any design which will pernfit one of said shafts to he zixially tiirne'd relatively "to the other for the pnrpose 'ef adjusting the position of the cams 12, 13 end '14 eerried'by it, relatively to the con- He m e I he nrinnture 'ef the dynamo eleetricmechine is indicated at '2 and its field Winding zit 2 andth'ese elements with the tenninals of the this hitter may be made in any of a mi'mher of "forms in the present instance it consists of ja'niimh'er of eoneentricellycurved contact strips numbered from 15 to 22 inclusive, and the arnmture'terniiiinls are conneeted to the stri s end. 21,011 which the latter strip is s ii-divided adjece'ntone end into a number 0'1. 'c'ontaets respectively connected to vapilot motor :l: are eonnected to the venous parts of the con'troller. While riou s poi'ilts off "a body of armature r'e'sist-' ahce'23..

The field Winding 2. of the dynamo electric nieehin'e he's its terininals connected to its Thetwo strips 17 and 20 are respectively v connected to the terminalsof the storage bat- .tery, and the strips 18 and 19 are similarly connected'to the terminals of the pilot motor avaaaem COPY 4-, although in this'connection there is interposed an electro magnetic switch 30 designed raise or hold up the movable member of the switch 30.

The voltage of the current developed by the generator 2 in charging the storage bat tery is, however, ordinarily sufficient to retain this switch 30 in its open position, which it does as long as the storage battery is receiving current from said generator. The controller strip 15 is dividedinto two parts electrically insulated from 'each other and h ing respectively connected to them the 'erids of a bank of resistance 32 which, under certain conditions,'may be placed in circuit with the storage battery.

An indicator or alarm device, in the present instance a bell 33, is connected to be supplied with current from the storage battery and thereby operated under certain conditions; one of its terminals being permanently connected to the terminal of one of the battery cells and the other through a body of resistance 34 and a switch 35 to one of the other cells so that the maximum volt! age .of the current delivered to the bell cannot exceed the proper voltage for operating the same The switch 35 includes an instrument such as a hydrometer 36 floating in the liquid of one of the battery cells and carrying a contact member 37 capable of engaging either of two fixed contacts 38 or 39. The first of these contacts is so placed that it is engaged by the movable contact 37 when the instrument 36 to which it is attached is buoyed up to the maximum extent, as when the storage battery isfully charged or is charged to a predetermined extent, while the other contact is similarly engaged by the movable contact .37 when the specific gravity of the liquid in; the storage battery has fallen to the predetermined low point existing when the battery has been discharged to the desired or permissible extent.

While any electro receptive devices may be connected to receive current from the storage battery, I have shown an external circuit provided with a serles of lamps 40 connected to be supplied through a controlling switch 41. The pilot motor is permanently connected across the terminals of the external circuit through a hand operated switch 42 preferably located near the bell 33.

With the'above. described arrangement of apparatus, the storage battery 3 will discharge until its specific gravity has so far age battery starts and operates as a" motor,

the controller handle 6 in which the charging current flows through fallen that the movable contact 37 comes in engagement with the contact 39, whereupon the circuit of the bell 33 is completed and it v is set in operation, thereby giving notice that the battery requires charging. The switch 42, which with the bell may be mounted at ation. As a result the shafts 9 and 10 are turned through theworm 7 and Worm wheel 8, thereby so turning the controller handle 6 that it first connects the field winding 2 of the dynamo electric machine with the storand thereafter supplies current. from'said battery to the armature 2 through the resistance 23, the movement of said handleoccurring inthe direction of the arrow. As a result the dynamo electric machine cranking the engine 1 at afspeed which increases as the controller arm 1's,so moved as to cut out resistance 23. I This revolution of the'shafts 9' and 10 so turns the'cams '12, 13 and 14 that fuel is adniitted'tothe engine, and the sparking circuit'is'closed, as is also the compression valve; it being understood that the said shaft 10 with its cams has been previously adjusted relatively to the shaft 9 so that the above described operations take place at the proper tunes.

The engine 1 being thus cranked and supplied with fuel as well as having the circuit of its igniting means closed, starts to operate, thereby driving the armature of the dynamo electric machine and causing it to generate current. The movement of the controller handle 6 which causes the above described operations also causes the contact 27 to electrically connect the contacts 17 and 18 and the contact 28 to'conne'ctthe contacts l9 and 20, so that the pilot motor 4 is supplied with current from the storage battery independently of the switch 42, which, after being held closed for a sufficient time to insure the completion of this circuit, is opened by the operator. As soon as the engine comes up to speed and thereby causes the dynamo electric machine 2 to generate current at the char 'ng voltage, the winding 31 is energized su ciently to draw up the movable member of the switch 30 and cut the pilot motor 4 out of circuit, thus leaving a position in the resistance 32.

With the arrangement described, the operation of the engine will continue until the storage battery is so far charged that the contact 37 comes into engagement with the contact 38, thus again completing the circuit of the bell 33 and thereby giving indica tion of the charged condition of the battery. The closing of the switch 42 by the operator will then again supply current to shown in Fig. 1, out of engagement with the various segmental contacts, and the cams 12, 13- and 14 are so operated that the sparkingcircuit of the engine is opened, the supply of fuelfisfcut oil and the compression valve is likewise opened. The winding 31 is also suificientlydenergized, by the stoppage of the engineor by a drop in the battery' voltage to cause the movable memberof the switch 30 to fall'toits closed position.

The battery may now be used to provide current in the wellknown manner and when discharged may againbe supplied with a charging current .asabove described, by the closure of the switch .42- for a time long enough to permit the controller arm 6 to engage its various contacts.

Itwill' be noted that with my system, any

, failure of the engine or dynamo electric machine -during char ing, automatically causes said machlne' to e cut out of circuit,

since immediately upon the cessation of the charging current, the switch 30 would close,

owing to the inability of the coil 31 to hold the movable switch member in its open position. The pilot motor 4 would therefore at once start and therefore operate the con: trailer handle 6 until this opened. the pilot motor circuit as well as the circuit of the dynamo electric machine, whereupon the various parts would necessarily come to rest in the positions illustrated ;the shaft 10 with its cams being also turned into position to cause stoppageof the engine in case this still continued to operate.

If the internal combustion engine 1 be cooled. by a flow of water which circulates constantly during its operation from some source of supply independent of the engine, I mayprovide on the shaft 10 a fourth cam 43 of such design ,as to cut off the supply of cooling liquid in the circulating pipe 44 whenever the cams 12, 13 and 14 have been moved to such positions as to cause the en gine to come to rest; any desired form of valve 45 being provided in proper position to codperate with this-cam. This v'alve may be placed in such a position that it will drain the water jacket when closed, thus arevontin in'u'r to the en 'ne from freezing when it is in an exposed position.

1. A system including an engine; a d namo electric machine operatively connected to said engine; a storage battery; and con trolling apparatus including means for supplying current from the battery at will to start the engine and thereby causing the dynamo electric machine to charge the battery, with automatic means including an electromagnetic switch, a motor and aswitch controlled by said motor for causing stop ping of the engine upon the cessation of the charging current.

2. A system including an, engine; a dynamo-electric machine operatively connected thereto; a storage battery; a controlling switch for said battery and electric machine; a pilot motor for actuating said switch; a

'manually controlled switch independently connected to the storage battery and to the pilotmotor for starting the latter at will; and means independent of said switch for automatically stopping said pilot motor.'

3. A system including an engine;- a dynamoelectric machine operatively connected thereto; a storage battery; acontroller for said electricmachine and battery; a pilot motor for actuating said controller; and a switch for star tingvsflid pilot motor at will;

said controller including means for auto-' controller; a hand controller for the battery and electric machine; a pilot motor for actuating the movable member of said controller two switches in circuit with the pilot motor; with means for maintainingone of said switches open when the dynamo electric machine is charg ing the battery. I

6.1 1 system including a dynamo electric machine; an engine for actuating the same; a storage battery; a controller for governing the flow of current between the battery and the electric machine; a pilot motor for operating said controller; a switch for the pilot motor; with an electromagnet connected to the storage battery for actuating said switch; said magnet being wound to operate the switch only when the generator is charg ing the battery.

7. A system including an engine; a dynamo electric machine actuatedthercby; a storage battery; a controller for said battery and electric machine; a pilot motor for actuating the controller; and a switch in circuit with the pilot motor for starting the same at will; said controller including connections for completing the circuit of the pilot motor independently of said switch.

8. A system including an engine; a dy namo electric machine actuated thereby; a storage battery; :1 controller for said battery and electric machine; a pilot motor for actuating the controller; and a switch in cirtween the motor andthe controller for preventing operation of said motor by current from the controller when the dynamo electric machine is charging the battery.

9. A system including an engine; a dynamo electric machine; a storage battery; a

controller for said battery and machine; a device for controlling the admission of fuel to the engine; and a pilot motor for actuating said device and the controller.

10. A system including an engine; means for controlling the ignition of said engine; a

. dynamo electric machine; a storage battery;

a controller for said battery and electric machine; and a motor governed in part by the controller for operating said ignition con-' trolling means and also the controller.

11. A system including an engine having a releasable compression valve; means for actuating said valve; a dynamo electric machine driven by the engine; a storage battery; a controllerfor said battery and electric'machine; and'a motor governed in part by the controller for operating said valve actuating means and the controller.

12. A system including an engine having an ignition controlling device; a dynamo electric machine connected to the engine; 'a storage battery; a controller for governing the flow of current between said machine and the battery; a pilot motor for actuating said controller; means. for actuating the ignition controlling device from said pilot motor; a switch for starting the pilot motor at will; and another switch for automatically stopping said pilot motor under predetermined conditions.

13. -A system including an engine; a dynamo electric machine operatively connected thereto; a storage battery; :1 controller for governing the'flow of current between the battery and the electric machine; a pilot niotor for actuating said controller; means for automatically stopping .the pilot'motor while the storage batteryis being charged; and a switch for causing starting ofthe pilot motor at will.

14:. A system including an engine; a dynamo electric machine operatively connected thereto; a storage battery;oa controller between. the electric machine and said battery including fi'xed contacts and an arm carry- Copies' of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Pat its,

ing a movable contact; a motor for moving said arm; said controller including a switch for automatically breaking the connection machine when the voltage of said machine falls below a predetermined point;

15. A system including an engine; a dynamo electric machine connected thereto; a storage battery; a controller having fixed and movable contacts for governing the flow vbetween the battery and the dynamo electric of current between said battery and said -electric machine; said controller including anarm carrying the movable contacts; a pi lot motor arranged to turn said arm-1n a fixed direction; manually controlled means 1 for starting said pilot motor at will; and automatically acting means for stopping said motor under predetermined conditions.

16. A system including an engine; a dy namo electric machine'connectcd thereto; a storage battery; a controller having a rotatable member; a pilot motor connected to always turn said member in the same direction; and means for governing the operation of said motor. p p I 17-. A system including an internal comvbustion engine; a dynamo electric machine operatively connected thereto; a controller for said electric machine; igniting and fuel controlling devices for the engine; a rotatable shaft connected to both ofsaid devices and to the controller; with a motor for rotating said shaft.

18. A system including an internal com-- bust1on engine; a dynamo electric machine operatively connected thereto; a controller for said machine; a valve for controlling the admission of fuel to the engine; a rotatable member connected to the valve and tothe controller for actuating both of the same; and a motor for rotating said member.

19. 'A system including an internal combustion engine; a dynamo electric machine operatively connected thereto; a controller for said machine; a relief valve for the en'- gine; means for operating said valve; and a Washington, D. 0. 

